Sight for fire-arms



(No Model.)

B. H. WILLIAMS. 'SI GHT FOR FIREARMS. No. 283,447. v Patented Aug. 21,1883.-

N. PETERS, mmum w, Wnhingmn. 04 a plated pistol or gun barrel.

I :UNITED STATES PAT NT OF IcE.

BENJAMIN H. WILLIAMS, OF LAWRENOEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

I SIGHT FOR FI RE ARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,447, dated August 21, 1883.

' 7 Application filed June .15, 1883. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, BENJAMIN H. WILL- IAMs, of the city of Lawrenceville, county of Tioga, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms, which improvements are fully set forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing. I

My improvement relates particularly to the rear sight of small fire-arms, and is designed to overcome the glare which meets the eye when attempting to sight along a finely-polished or My object is to accomplish the desired result by extremely simple and inexpensive means, so that the value and efficiency of the arm to which the improvement is applied may be increased without ad ditional cost in its manufacture.

The drawing forming a part of this specification shows my improvement as applied to arevolving arm as commonly constructed.

. A represents the pistol-frame a, the slot known as the rear sight, and b the front sight. The front sight in all similar arms is formed of a crescent or semicircular shaped piece of metal, held rigidly in place in a slot in the barrel. The rear sight may be formed in various ways; but the most common in use and the cheapest to construct is the one illustrated in the annexed drawing. In the manufacture of the arm a suitable projection is formed on the top side, said projection being provided with a slot or groove corresponding with the front sightbefore referred to. When the hammer is brought to a full-cock, a fiat blank surface is exposed, which, in the act of sighting, comes directly in line with the eye of the operator.

A large proportion of the small-arms manufactured are plated with nickel, and as the nickel receives a very high polish, that part of the arm which is exposed in the act of aiming the piece must, in a large degree, dazzle the eye. To overcome this difficulty I have constructed that portion of the frame or barrel which meets the eye in the act of sighting with a dead finish of a dark color, as shown at 0, so that the groove a, through which one looks in sighting, is sharply defined against the darker finish of the frame at c. This dark color, as shown at 0, may be produced in various ways. That portion of the frame or barrel which is to be colored may be repolished, (after havingbeen plated,) and the spot blued by the usual process of heat, &c. The surrounding parts, being nickeled, will not be materially effected by the heat, and may be again buffed oi burnished, producing the usual bright finish. If the desired dark coloring cannot conveniently be produced by heating and bluing, as above described, the enameling process may be resorted to, the prime idea being to darken the spot 0 and bring out the rear sight, a, in sharp contrast. I do not therefore confine myself to any particular method of attaining the desired result.

I am aware that detachable sights having darkened rear surfaces have been made heretofore, which state of the art ishereby disclaimed.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is

In afire-armhaving abright-or plated finish, and in combination with the other portion thereof, a darkened portion of the solid frame or barrel immediately at the rear of the sight, said darkened surface being so located in relation to the rear sight that the latter is sharply defined against the former and the dazzling efiect of the bright finish avoided in the act of sighting, as hereinbefore set forth.

B. H. XVILLIAMS. WVitnesses:

DONALD L. PERKINS, FRANK H. ALLEN. 

